Wednesday, June 16, 2010

MAUREEN GOES BABB

Today we are adding Maureen Johnson to the BAMF Art Blog Bunch. Maureen is totally wacky, a painter and potter and sculptor, and TOTALLY friendly as well: perfect BABB material. AND, just like Lizzie and me, she has this sock monkey thing going on......

I am originlly from Chicago, Illinois. My Dad, Thomas O'Donnell, was a graduate of Nortwestern University. My Mother and Father divorced when I was very young. My Mother (Grace) was my best friend in the whole world. We were together everyday until she passed away. Her and I were identical almost in everyway.

I have two sisters, one older, Kathleen Salamone, and one younger, Mary Anne Sosa. My sister Kathleen has been married for 47 years, my younger sister is divorced.

I married George right after my 15th. birthday, August 19, 1968. George was 17 and I was 15. We have been on a long journey of 42 years. We have one child, Carrie Kruger widowed, now reamrried, and one granddaughter Lydia Sakalowski. Carrie is an IT for Blue Cross Blue Shield, and Lydia is also an artist like George and I.

I have had numerous experiences through my life, with George at my side. I have had at least 40 jobs in my life. George only had one up until the year 2003. He worked 40 years of his life. He is now retired.

We have lived in the small town of Trevor for about 50 years. Coming from a big city, to this tiny little town was a shock for both of us. George was originally from Chicago Also. The cultural differences were overwhelming for us both, so I think that was the critical link that forever bound us to each other.

When I first moved here to Trevor, there was only a Post Office, Three Bars, Fire Department, and a gas station. We have seen it grow tremedously in the past 42 years.

I went to the University of Wisconsin, Pre-Med, dropped out, after I worked for the local Doctor. I then received an Associates Degree in Business, and stuck with that. I went back to college in 1999 to get a degree in MIS (Micro-computer Information Specialist), I was shocked to still be carrying a 4..0 average. Our daughter started a business, I set up, and ran it for her. She was the first local ISP in this area.

I am also a Third Order Benedictine........I could tell a billion stories...:) and then some. I equate myself to the Artificial Intelligient Android in "Blade Runner", when he said, "If your eyes could only see the worlds I have seen"! lol lol lol

Anyway, I have done Art all my life, originally focusing on Ballet (I was a Ballerina with the Illinois Central Ballet Company), portrait painting, and for the last 10 years pottery. I have a studio through which I teach, and we do our Pottery. It is truly my passion and love! Outside of being just "Totally Bananas" with life, love, and laughter. I am happiest when I make people laugh, and smile! Oh, I hate Sports, Politics, and Snobby, mean spirited people!

and....

My Dad studied Law, however, his love was sports. He played football for Northwestern, and played baseball, and went on to get drafted into the St. Louis Cardinals. My Mother divorced him because he was the usual egotistical Sports Jock type, and behaved much like Tiger Woods...lol lol lol...! He was a tremendous swimmer, when I was small I used to hang on his neck, and he would swim straight out into lake Michigan with me on his back. We would be out there for three hours and would never, ever, tire. He was fearless...! A real live for the moment person. Makes one hell of a bad marriage partner though! lol lol lol...:)

My daugher lives just a few miles away. She has a fabulous home, right on the edge of a protected wetlands...it's cool. She has chickens too...lol lol lol and of course dogs and cats. Our granddaughter who is now 20, still lives at home. She calls the young men around here, "impossible createns"...lol lol lol...she takes the train into Chicago often. They lvie about a quarter of a mile from the Metro. lol lol lol Our granddaugher raises button quail, and doves....and of course she has a dog (Australian Shepard" named Ramsey...Our daughter's dog is named, "Buttercup", she is a Pug!

Hey Everyone...thanks for all your kind words. I try to put the FUN IN FUNCTIONAL! lol lol It's what I am all about. My schedule is always way busy, with my studio, teaching, creating, and doing the crummy bookkeeping involved in operating a licensed business. But it is all worth it! :) Especially being with all of you! I LOVE YOU GUYS! Maureen